Efficient cooling of integrated circuits (IC) devices is essential to prevent failure due to excessive heating. Cooling demands continue to grow as the number of complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices per chip and clock speeds increases, such efficient cooling has become an even more prominent concern. For example, while the current generation of microprocessors generates heat on the order of 100 W/cm2, the next generation of computer microprocessors is expected to reach heat generation levels of 200 W/cm2 or more.
IC chips are conventionally cooled by a heat exchange mechanism, or heat sink, having a thermally conductive plate coupled to the chip. The plate typically has a plurality of raised fins or pin fins extending from one of its surfaces. The pin fins increase the surface area over which air may flow, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the heat sink to the surrounding air.
Such air-cooled methods have generally proven to be reliable in facilitating heat transfer for current chips. However, it is generally concluded that current methods of forced air-cooling have reached their limits of performance. Moreover, conventional heat sinks are currently designed to have set dimensions and are not adaptable to differing environmental conditions. As such, the trend towards smaller, more powerful chips that generate even greater amounts of heat makes continued reliance on conventional air cooled methods inadequate.
Thus, there is a need for a heat exchange apparatus that is capable of providing a heat sink that is dimensionally adaptable to differing environmental conditions.